26 Mar 3 Valuable First Year Parenting Lessons I Learned

So there I was. My first year of being a parent. Excited, worried, anxious. Before I gave birth, all I was thinking about was how cute my baby girl would be with all those pretty baby dresses and baby hair bows and where to shop for those baby hair accessories. But reality set in when I finally delivered my baby girl.

Having a baby, especially for a first-time parent is tough. But I made it through and I learned a lot. If I have to sum everything up, I can break it down into three major lessons that I learned as a mom.

Patience

Whether it’s work or life at home, it’s the very first thing that you will need to arm yourself with to get through each day. Especially with baby parenting, I needed lots of it in my arsenal.

Things did not always turn out the way I expected, especially with taking care of my little one. It was not always easy to put my baby to bed. At times, it may seem like it was taking forever for her to go to sleep.

And even when I thought I have prepared even for things unexpected and the worst. My baby will always come up with a surprise or two.

I realized that my baby doesn’t know that I am dead tired or feeling a little bit under the weather. My baby just doesn’t have that kind of patience. But I should.

And with each passing day, I learned to stay focused and calm, and before I know it, another day is done. And I just give myself a nice pat on the back, feel proud of what I have endured and accomplished.

Live and Cherish Every Moment

We all know it. Life is short and kids grow fast. Soon, you will no longer be concerned about diapers or baby hair accessories anymore, you will just find yourself sending your kid off to school. Then few more years after that, he/she will be on his/her own.

So I saw to it that I spend quality time when I can with my baby. Have fun with my little one. Took photos and videos, wrote in my diary, documented every moment that I have with my baby.

Enjoyed every fun moment with her. Captured every antic, laughter, and tantrums.

Because I know that those moments will be over and there is no way of getting them back.

So, I soaked it up and enjoyed every second of it.

Be a good example

Our children will eventually get educated in school, but even before that, we–their parents are their first teacher. And we will continue to be even when they are old enough.

We are the greatest influence in our children’s lives. Especially in their formative years. They mimic everything little thing that we do and say. They learn from us, and as parents, we should be their best examples.

I am not a perfect being, I have my share of imperfections, but in front of my kid, I need to behave at my best (or try to, at least).

I also made it a point that everyone in the household watch what they do or say in front of her. And as a mom, I should always be there to watch how she interacts with what she sees and hears.

Young as they are, we can slowly teach them manners and good behavior by our own examples.

Being a parent is fun, it is the most important duty that anybody can have.

Being a parent is challenging, very challenging, especially for new parents. But all of us will get through it. Our parents did.

We cannot be perfect moms or dads, no one is, but we can be good parents. That is what we should all be aiming for. Let us learn from every parenting journey that we take, especially from our first.

About the Author

Cady is a devoted mom, an animal welfare advocate, content writer, and a writer for babywisp.com. She graduated with a degree in Business Administration major in Banking and Finance. She loves coffee in the morning, enjoys it after lunch, and caps the night with a few sips.